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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27198466">Finding Something To Fight For</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Equi_dragon1321/pseuds/Equi_dragon1321'>Equi_dragon1321</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Last of Us (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ellie &amp; Joel (The Last of Us) Bonding, Multi, no JJ or farm, tommy and Maria stay together, travelling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:15:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,535</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27198466</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Equi_dragon1321/pseuds/Equi_dragon1321</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Abby is coming for Joel. Ellie is still mad at him for lying and not letting her die in salt lake. The clock ticks on until everyone's fate is sealed.</p><p>ON HIATUS</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Abby/Owen (The Last of Us), Dina/Ellie (The Last of Us), Ellie &amp; Joel (The Last of Us), Maria/Tommy (The Last of Us)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>ok, so I wasn't exactly happy with most parts of the last of us, like Joel's death, Abby gets to live and so on. So im going to change it. Will Joel still die? What will happen to Ellie and Abby? Also I've changed a lot of things, including a bit of ellie and Joel's argument and what happened after.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ellie pulled the bolt back on her rifle. The clicker was oblivious to her, and she would like it to stay that way. Rage-filled from a few days ago, she looked through the scope, lined the shot, and pulled the trigger, making the firearm buck in her grip. The fungal plates of the clickers head was blown to smithereens, and the body slumped lifelessly on the ground.</p><p><em>There goes the last of the infected,</em> Ellie thought grimly. She got up from her sniping spot and went to loot the now empty building, nearly slipping down on the snowy hill. The door lay open, rotted and barely hanging on its hinges. she immediately spotted a desk, shelves and drawers that could potentially hold supplies. Ellie pulled them open, sometimes being disappointed by emptiness, and other times happy to find canned food, ammo or any other goodies. she swept through for anything else, being cautious for more infected, but it seemed she had already dealt with all of them. good. she ran outside and up the slope where she was shooting at, and where shimmer, her favourite chestnut mare was waiting, and hopped on the saddle. after her shouting at Joel a couple of days ago, even though Maria had told her before she left that Joel and tommy had left to go investigate something about a group of people to the west of the settlement, she still didn't really want to go back yet. she nudged shimmer into a walk as the events flooded her mind.</p><p>
  <em>Joel had lied to her all these years. he had taken her away from her purpose of this fucking infection. he took away her chance to help.</em>
</p><p>then, she shouted at him until her voice and throat was raw, and then she had stormed off. she hadn't spoke to him, let alone look at or acknowledge him for the rest of the time. she still was mad at him, so now she was busying herself with tasks and things to do. Ellie wasn't even sure if she wanted to <em>ever</em> see him again. she was brought back to the present after nearly sliding off the saddle when shimmer suddenly dodged a tree and stumbled in the snow. Ellie sighed, swallowing her thoughts as the reluctantly headed back home. </p><p>Ellie waved to the soldiers stationed at the lookouts on top of the gate. one waved back as the other couple rushed down out of sight and heaved the metal gates open, letting her and shimmer through. Ellie thanked them and clicked the horse on, to the stables. Ellie dismounted, handing the reigns to Steven, the stable hand with a greeting and thanks, and walked off only to be stopped by Maria blocking her path. she looked concerned. </p><p>"Ellie, I know that you and Joel had a pretty big fight, but have you seen him and tommy? they said that they would of been back by now, and if not, something was wrong. im scared for what happened to them." Maria exclaimed worry in her tone. even though Ellie is thinking about murdering Joel herself, she still felt a twang of worry for the two men. "well then, what do we do?" Ellie asked, looking at the leader of the Jackson settlement. she paused before saying, </p><p>"we'll give it a day, then you and maybe some others head out and find them."</p><p>Ellie nodded, and Maria stepped out of the way, letting her past as Ellie walked off. she went halfway past the playground before getting nailed by a snowball. it blinded her for a moment, before straightening up and shouting, "WHAT THE FUCK!?!?!?!?!!?" she heard little kids laughing and her name be called. Ellie looked around and saw Dina running over to her from the wooden play equipment. she leaned on the fence before saying to Ellie, "sorry about that, those wee shits do what they want."</p><p>they discussed the night at the party for a while, until another snowball was launched at Ellie. the kids laughed again, but it soon turned into screams of playful terror as Dina and Ellie hopped the fence and gathered snow, rolling them up and throwing at the kids, who took cover behind obstacles. yelling all the way through, Dina and Ellie had some satisfaction as the kids got pelted with the semi-hard balls. the kids groaned in frustration.</p><p>"yea, you little dipshits! hope ya liked the taste of snow!" Dina shouted, but was soon tackled onto the ground and jumped on by the kids. Ellie chuckled and lifted one off her. Dina was right, they were wee menaces. she pulled Dina off the ground and they both walked off and into the main part of the city.</p><p>"hey Ellie, I was wondering, do you wanna go for a trip out of the settlement? I found something that might interest you...." Dina drawled out, gently nudging Ellie with her arm. since Ellie had just gotten back from outside the settlements walls, she wanted to say no, but she was curious of what Dina had found.</p><p>"ahh...... I just got back, but fuck it. sure, lets go." Dina smiled mischievously and let them back to the stables. when they got there Steven raised an amused eyebrow, and handed them two geldings. <em>it isn't shimmer, but he'll do rightly,</em> Ellie thought to herself. they hopped on, trotted out the gate and then urged the horses into a canter.</p><p>Ellie and Dina pushed the horses to go through the snow until Ellie saw a concrete building. she'd heard about it and seen it on maps, and didn't know why Dina wanted to show her this. they tethered the horses to a tree and walked in. Dina strode over to a wooden bookshelf and pushed against it until it slid to the side, revealing stairs that went down into the earth. Ellie gasped in surprise and Dina had a shit-eating grin on her face as Ellie followed her down the stairs. </p><p>when they got down, a strong smell hit Ellie's nose and a sight met her eyes.</p><p>a shit ton of dead weed. Ellie gazed around, amazed at this as Dina pulled a jar of it out from a box and smashed it on the ground. then she picked it up, brought out a lighter, and lit it, taking a puff and relishing in it. she handed it to Ellie, who had a similar reaction. </p><p>"im thinking a six." Dina said, looking Ellie in the eyes. "excuse me?" "I think its a six." Dina repeated, shrugging. Ellie grinned, leaned in, flicked the joint away, and whispered to Dina, "this better be better than a six", before kissing her and pushing Dina down onto the couch.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>when Jesse shows up with news of tommy and Joel's disappearance, ellie goes out to find them. she does not expect to find what awaited.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ellie yelped at Dina as she climbed on top of her. Dina looked down at Ellie, yelling, "bullshit! there's no way you're immune!" she was about to continue, when their names were called by a voice, and a dim light coming down the stairs. it was Jesse. both girls panicked to get their clothes on, but he ran round the corner before they could fully pull the clothes on. Dina screamed at him and he whipped around, his back to them. </p><p>"sorry girls, but Maria wants both of you home <em>now</em>. somethings wrong with Joel and tommy. she wants Ellie out there as soon as possible." fuck. Ellie had forgotten about them. she hopped to attention, giving a hand up to Dina, and the three of them ran out. thankfully, Jesse didn't ask about the weed, or the <em>other</em> thing. they hopped on the horses, ellie and Dina's two geldings sending them evil eyes for leaving them tied to a tree. they kicked the three horses on and galloped off to the settlement. </p><p>the gates were pushed open before they even slowed down, and Ellie practically launched herself off the horse and rushed to her and Joel's house for more of her weapons and gear. After snatching her Springfield rifle and more bullets, she sprinted to Marias house and shouldered the door open roughly. Maria had her head in her hands, sipping a cup of tea. she looked up at Ellie, and for a moment, relief washed over he face.</p><p>"Ellie thank god. can you go out and-" Ellie didn't let her finish the sentence, as she abruptly answered, "yes. i'll go now." Maria nodded thankfully. "Ellie, do you want anyone to go with you?" "no thanks. I work better alone."</p><p>Maria looked doubtful, but nodded again. Ellie nodded back before turning on her heels and running out of the door again, slamming it shut. she sprinted to the stables. Jesse and Dina were gone, and Steven was standing with a tall mare, ready to go. he handed it to her, and Ellie was so thankful she could hug him right now. she shouted her gratitude as she hopped on the mare and sprinted her out of the gates and up the hill as a snowstorm was blowing in.</p><p>the mare huffed but bravely kept going as the snow got thicker, swirling around them. Ellie swore to god, if Joel was ok, she was gonna slap the shit out of him. if he wasn't........</p><p>she didn't want to think about that. of course he would be ok. he's Joel.</p><p>suddenly, Ellie saw a light through the trees, down a hill. there was a log cabin down there, and the light was pouring through a couple of windows. Ellie breathed relief and hopped off the horse. it was too steep for her, so Ellie would go on foot. drawing her rifle out, she headed down.</p><p> </p><p>-----------------------------</p><p> </p><p>Joel ran faster as he raced to get to the woman being wrestled by a clicker. she was frantically trying to get it off her, but wasn't succeeding. Joel bent down, pressed his revolvers' barrel on the infected head and pulled the trigger. he gave a hand to the woman, who was built like an ox and had her blond hair in a ponytail. she took his hand and he pulled her up. </p><p>"come on, you two! we gotta get inside!" tommy yelled from behind them, holding a metal door open. they rushed through, only to have the hallway blocked by a couple of infected. tommy cursed and threw a Molotov at them, and pulled Joel and the woman in another door. they pushed a large bin over the door and ran, tommy leading the way again. they burst through another door back outside, and found tommy and Joel's horses. tommy hopped on his as Joel helped the woman on his before mounting on too. she told them where her and her group were staying, a large cabin near the woods. they forced the horses on until they saw the cabin, lights inside. they put the horses in the shed and walked into the main interior of the building.</p><p>Joel noticed sleeping bags and blankets on the floor, and a group of people huddled together, talking hurriedly. they looked up at the three of them, and immediately noticed the woman. handshakes were tossed around, and names were introduced. the blond woman was called Abby, and two men were called Owen and Manny. two women told Joel and tommy that they were Nora and Mel. they explained that they had more people, but sadly the infected got to them.</p><p>when Joel said his name, the new group exchanged glances and their expressions turned dark. oh shit.</p><p>"you guys look like you've heard of us." Joel nervously chuckled, and a voice behind him said, " thats because we have."</p><p>then suddenly, Manny drew a gun and hit tommy over the head, rendering him unconscious. worry pooled in Joel's stomach. he was about to reach for his own gun, but the other two men forced him to a stop. Abby pulled out a shotgun and aimed it at Joel's legs. he kicked out fiercely, and the bullet grazed the side of it, missing his knee. she angrily kicked him, making him fall against a snowy glass pane. Owen and Manny held his arms up, and Abby leaned down to him, and quietly said,</p><p>"Joel......miller. do you know who I am?"</p><p>Joel breathed heavily. "who are you?"</p><p>"guess."</p><p>a pause descended down before Joel said, "why don't you say whatever speech you've got rehearsed and get this over with." </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>a bit of a change, I know, but lets try it this way.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ellie goes looking for Joel and Tommy, but will she like what she finds?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry I've been gone for a while, a lot happening in my life right now. Hope you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ellie quietly pushed the wooden door open, poking the rifle barrel through before entering. A yell sounded through the building from a lower floor. With a growing pool of worry in her stomach, Ellie soon recognised whose shouts they were. Joel's. Ellie passed through the maze of doors and halls, thoroughly checking them as quickly as she could. Soon, she reached a flight of stone stairs that had mould growing in the corners that descended down to a heavy door, where Joel's pained cries leaked through the cracks of the doorframe. Now that Ellie was closer, she could hear sickening thuds and whacks from inside. She practically ran down the stairs, nearly slipping. Ellie halted in front of the door, her palm on the handle. She took a deep breath, put her rifle away, switched them for two handguns, and roughly shoved the door open and raised her rifle. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ellie glanced around quickly, and saw five people in the room, an unconscious man laying on the floor, and a bloody figure forced against the floor. </p>
<p><em>Joel</em><em>.</em> </p>
<p>Two men were holding Joel down, and one ox-like woman was kicking him and beating his shoulders and sides with a golf club. Two women stood in the corner, jumping to attention as Ellie entered. But she was too quick for them, aiming one of the guns, a little berata, at the two women and with the other, a Glock pistol, at the blond golfer. She scowled at Ellie, but lowered the club to the ground, wary of Ellie shooting her friends, and her. Ellie looked at the unconscious body, and then she seen Tommy's features. Those bastards. the two men that were holding Joel softened their grip on him, making Joel sigh in relief. Other than that, Joel was unresponsive to everything that was going on. Ellie was willing to bet that he didn't even know that she was here. The blond woman spoke up, her eyes tearing into Ellie's soul. </p>
<p>"Who are you?" she demanded. Ellie stared back at her, before answering smoothly as she could, </p>
<p>"Im with him. Let him go now, you bitch." She said, and nodded towards Joel. Hearing Ellie's voice, Joel jolted and shot his head up as much as he could, his greying hair and face matted with blood. Joel was always good at hiding emotions, but now, his face was a clear mixture of relief, worry, fear and gratitude. He mumbled something that nobody seemed to catch, and rested his head on the concrete floor as pain waves swept through him. </p>
<p>The blond woman almost growled at Ellie, seemingly shooting her with as much hatred as she could. Ellie angrily returned the looks, and the two girls continued this, until Joel pushed out a strangled shout at Ellie. She was violently grabbed from behind. The two men holding Joel down left him to go for Ellie, thinking that Joel was too weak to get up. They wrestled all at once with Ellie, and her guns went spinning out of her hands and distantly clattered on the floor. Ellie got shoved onto the floor, the concrete colliding with her chin, and blood spurted out as Ellie cried out. Then the blond bitch walked over, golf club back in her grasp. She chuckled at Ellie's struggle, and bent down. </p>
<p>"Who might you be?" She questioned. Ellie had a strange feeling of daja-vu and decided not to answer. The blond woman only glared at her more. <em>T</em><em>his bitch loves glaring, </em>Ellie thought worriedly. She couldn't escape the grasps of four people. </p>
<p>Suddenly, the golf club was raised and was brung down over Ellie. The metal hit her cheek and nose. A crack of broken bone echoed, and Ellie tried to hold back the screams and tears. The woman raised and struck again, narrowly missing Ellie's eye. This time, she couldn't muffle the shout, and tears spilled freely, mixing with the dark blood now pooling on the floor. And again, the woman raised the club and Ellie closed her eyes, but strangely, the bolt of pain did not come. Instead, the club clattered to the ground and her captors shouted. Ellie warily looked up. The woman was being chocked from behind, Ellie's berata pushed against her neck. Joel's bloody head and body appeared in Ellie's eyesight, and he shakily held the woman. Then, Ellie felt one of the people on top of her be yanked off, and more shouting was heard. The rest of the people got off her, this time on their own. Ellie slowly pushed herself up, and was met by Tommy's raging eyes. He was holding one of the men with Ellie's Glock. Tommy still looked a little dazed from a hit he must've got. She heard Joel's angry voice behind her, shouting at the others. Ellie tuned into what he was saying, to both the blond woman he was holding, the man that Tommy was holding, and the others who were standing by a bloody glass panel. Joel's blood. </p>
<p>".....ya never come lookin' for any of us, ever again, bastards. Or else we'll blow off your godamn heads. Now, let us out, and we might just let these two go. Understood!?" He roared, and they nodded. Ellie took her rifle from her back, and the trio went for the door that was laying wide open. Ellie got behind Tommy and Joel, who kicked away their two captives, and tommy quickly slammed the door shut and they bolted up the stairs towards a garage, where two horses stood waiting. Joel and tommy hopped onto their mounts. Ellie pushed the sliding door open, and ran for the tall mare, who started running down a small hill to meet the others. Ellie pulled herself on, and they kicked the horses on as fast as they could manage, with their bloody wounds still leaking. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hot chocolate had never tasted better for Ellie than right now. She was huddled in a blanket, in Maria's kitchen, Joel sat beside her, a mug of his famous coffee in his hands. His bandages stood out from his bleak colours. But at least he was going to be okay. The doctor, after much examination, told Joel that he had a broken shoulder, shot knee, broken ribs, bruises, cuts, and a bad concussion. But all were curable with time. Tommy had minor head trauma, but had recovered speedily and was sitting at his kitchen table. Ellie herself had a broken nose, and a few bruises and cuts. It had been three weeks already, and no sign of the bastards that did this to them. Ellie, Joel and Tommy had told Maria everything, and gave good descriptions of them, lest they ever<em> do</em> show their faces in Jackson. Ellie sighed. Joel's body was stiff beside her. They had never actually resolved the issue of the fireflies that day, other than shouting and cursing. She promised herself to do it tonight. Ellie's mind wandered back to the blond woman.<em> Why would she do that to Joel? Who the fuck is she? </em>Ellie thought. If never having the answers meant never seeing her again, Ellie was more than happy with that. But, if given that chance, Ellie would gladly kill her. The bitch. </p>
<p>Ellie snapped out of her trance as a bowl was gently placed on her lap. Maria stood over her, a friendly smile on her face. Ellie returned it and peeked inside the bowl. Ice cream. FUCK YEA BITCH!!!!!!! Maria gave a bowl to Joel and Tommy too, and Tommy happily took his, but Joel kind of just pushed the sugary goodness around the bowl, staring deeply into it. He was in a different universe currently. Ellie knew<em> all</em> about that. She sighed silently, and nudged Joel with her elbow. He jumped and snapped out of his trance, nearly dropping his ice cream bowl. He turned his head to hers guiltily, refusing to meet her eyes, but Ellie wasn't having any of it. She grabbed his face, hands touching his glorious beard, and pulled his head up to look at her. His shocked chocolate eyes finally met with her emerald ones, and they stared at each other for a while, not moving nor talking. Ellie could hear Tommy and Maria gasp and shuffle, and knew that they were watching her an Joel. After what felt like an eternity, Ellie looked away from Joel's gaze. He too broke the contact, and went back to the ice cream bowl, which now he put a spoonful into his mouth. Ellie thankfully felt his body relax beside her. </p>
<p>In their own way, they had communicated and calmed each other. </p>
<p>Ellie finished her bowl and got up, cracking her back bones, shook off the woolly blanket around her, and headed out the door, uttering a thanks to Maria, who nodded as Ellie left Joel to think. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, thats a very big change, now aint it? There will be more at some point, and I do have a mental script, so just bear with me. But, I hope that you liked my personal canon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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